Whole30 and Mac and Cheese

My husband and I have given into the hype and will be spending the next 30 days dairy, grain and sugar free! So far it's not too bad, other then a HUGE grocery bill.

See although we will be eating eggs and nuts, not so sure my kids will be on board. Today is day 1, 10/20/14. We planned it this way, so that we can have a healthy holiday season and still enjoy pumpkin pie. 

Day 1. went well. I think the key will be a large variety, to help stave off the "cupcake" cravings. My kids laughed at our food, stole my fruit salad and ate Mac n cheese for dinner.

Day 2. well, this was interetsting, of course my second day, I have a lunch planned..I went with clear broth soup with kale and sausage, and some potato, which I know is not on the list, but it was the closest I could get. I also had salad with no croutons, or cheese. I loaded up with an egg and nuts before I left, for breakfast, so I was great! Dinner was some grilled chicken, carrots and cucumbers. I had a meeting at night, and the Giants won the first game of the World Series, so we celebrated with cold pressed cherry juice spritzers, some fancy meat and mangoes. I was super happy with my food. So far so good.
Day 3. So not too bad, actually it was great. I have some super tasty food to look forward too!

Day 4. Today was rough. I have spent over $300 on groceries this week, my banana, almond, coconut batter exploded all over my kitchen and I found a spider web in my raw organic cashew. My kids don't eat any of the food my husband and I are eating, so that means 2 different dinners each night. Yes I can let them go hungry, but over cauliflower rice? I'm not craving sweets or bread, I'm craving food that doesn't take 2 hours to prep and cook. I'm craving someone else being able to cook.

Day 5. Assorted nuts and fruits for lunch. Iced coffee and after looking at this meal plan, the cost and time...I'm going to give this a try again at another time. 

So here is the thing. This is a great plan, for people who live alone, or don't have 2  young kids who want to scratch each others eyes out, like rabid cats. We gave it a go, but my focus needs to be on kindergarten homework, not 3 hours to make dinner. Am I going to eat a cookie? Maybe, but maybe I'll still have an apple. Am I bummed? Uh...no...I'm relieved. 

Our new menu has made our kids a bit more adventurous, they now really like Harvati cheese and chicken quesadillas, none of which I could eat, so I'm not sure how that happened, but cool.

It's 10:15pm.

Chester Copperpot

I remember being excited as a child. Excited for new adventures and people to have them with. I remember watching Goonies and wanting to hit the coast ASAP to find a treasure and have an amazing adventure. I started my parenting years young. I was 20 when I had my daughter and I freely admit that she was/is pretty spoiled. There are a lot of people who love her and want her to have fancy nice things. About 5 years later I married my husband a we have had 2 boys since then. Combine a father who wants his boys to have all the cool toys and things he didn't get to have with a family of aunts and uncles who are generous beyond anything I could ever imagine and we have kids who have everything. That's great! Right? ...right? ...uhm... No. Not always.

Maybe not having everything leads a person to imagine an adventure to find treasure. Maybe not having a toy store in your room (my sons own words) makes a trip to the toy store a more magical experience, like it was when I was little. 

I want my kids to experience awe and wonder in the world around them, not be constantly wowed by media and entertained. They are constantly on media uppers. Argh. It's hard. Media has its time and use, but for now, I am trying to have my kids occupy life. 

The Goonies, if someone let their asthmatic child run around a death cavern with 2 guys chasing them in the name of adventure, they'd have CPS on their doorstep! Times have surely changed...but I still have this burning desire to yell "hey you guys!" When I am on a boat.

It's 9:19pm

This is my son and his cousins occupying life, in a very close space, on a farm, with a finger in the nose.

10 Days Sugar Free, White Flour Free

I am currently in day #4 of being sugar and white flour free.  I tell people that I am doing great, and that I feel great and I do! But there are definately some side effects, which are...different.
Day #1 was not so bad.  I ate a lot of tasty meat and cheese, paried with fresh fruit and salad.  Grilled Chicken and Quinoa for dinners and nuts for snacks.  I felt good.
Day #2 still good, until about 6 pm...HOLY HEARTBURN BATMAN.
Day #3...I poop seeds. Seriously. Quinoa Seeds.  Did you know Quinoa was a seed? I just found out...the heartburn subsided when I removed the lemon from my water and things got a little better with a handful of Fritos.  I know not super healthy, but no sugar and no flour!
So this all leads up to day #4, today.  I eat a couple apples, a couple oranges, lots of salad, a bit of cheese and nuts for snacks.  I have to say my energy level is WAY up...and so are my trips to the restroom.  Let's be realistic, this much fiber would do the same to anyone.  I also ate potato chips today, I needed something to take the edge off of the fruit and veggie cramps, especially since I was driving a mountain road...
Day #5, I am halfway there and what was I thinking...I'm supposed to have a visit from Aunt Flo and I am off sugar and flour. I have turned to more corn products to help counteract the acid stomach. I love oranges and pears. 

Day #6 soccer Saturday with dad. Usually we go to soccer, then head to KK for a treat and errands. I am really thinking about a donut. I feel like a crack head, this is ridiculous. What to do? Throw together scrambled eggs, bacon and apple slices. Mmmm...this is not too bad! Day went better than expected.

Day #7, spent most of the day with Miya. Read a lot of labels today while waiting for Miya to finish her study. It's crazy how sugar is in everything. I know I already know this, but when I really think about it, it's crazy. My Sunday treat? Huevos Rancheros. 

Day #8. I made it 1 whole week. I got this. 

Day #9. My kids are crazy. Thank The Lord for my husband. I can honestly careless about sweets. The flour is harder. The convenience if flour is amazingly bad. I'm want to make my own bread without sugar. Honesty I don't need much, just something to absorb stomach acid and hold my turkey and cucumbers!

Day #10. Things I have learned. Quinoa in moderation. Steel cut oats are very filling. My minions will steel my sliced fruit every time, thus my kids WILL eat what I eat...so this reduction in sugar is really important. 10 days is a doable, reasonable goal. If I can do it, anyone can.

I learned a lot these 10 days. Food is very intertwined with my emotions. Bad days equal bad food choices. Good days equal celebration and food choices. Why aren't apples a celebration food anymore? They are now, and so are cucumbers, fresh mozzarella, pears and berries. 

It's 9:38am

 

Bahumbug and Yippie!

     I have in past years have had very mixed feeling about the holidays, they end up being a lot of stress for me with prep, planning, shopping, wrapping, shopping, cleaning, stocking, stuffing, stressing, etc.  I start off with a boom and fizzle by the 21st. Then I just want to hibernate till Valentines Day.  I know that part of it has to do with my little brothers birthday being this month and so close to Christmas.  It's still a hard time of the year for my whole family, but a tad bit easier each year.

     This year, I feel different.  I feel less stressed out and more relaxed.  My boys still run around like hooligans and try to eat all the advent chocolate in one day.  My teenager still throws attitude, like snowballs...there is still family drama and planning conflicts.  The hustle and bustle is still there, but I feel calmer, slower, less urgency to get everything done all in one day and have it wrapped in a bow with sparkles.  I attribute this to 2 things.
   
     First, my husband is amazing. Second, I have found a whole new joy in watching my kids enjoy the Christmas season.  My kids could care less about the order of fun or how pretty it looks when it's done.  They just want to be together, laughing (crying too) and having a good time!  Seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child is an amazing thing.  Each little light, ornament and treat is enjoyed with such awe that you can't help but smile.

     It's not about quantity.  It's about quality.  That is such a simple lesson to learn and it does not take a lot to figure it out.  Spend time with your kids, they get a little bigger each year, so take the time to really enjoy the awe of the season with them. Create memories and smiles.  After all, do you remember every single gift you were ever given? Yeah, me either.

It's 1:44 pm.  P.S. Peppermint MnM's are like crack, and I am a junkie!

Thank You!

Thank you. 2 simple words designed to convey appreciation and flattery for a job well done.
My 2 year old is ridiculously polite. He says please and thank you for everything,  every time. We are clueless as to where these manners came from, my guess is Dora or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. My 4 year old not so much and my 13 year old, well she is 13...
Does this mean my kids love me less and appreciate me less if they don't say thank you? NO. It means they express their appreciation and gratitude in different ways. My 13 year old will help more,  or play with her brothers,  my 4 year old will draw me a picture.
Do we have to hear THANK YOU to know that someone is greatful,  no...but unless we are around them enough to see or feel gratitude in a different way, then our options maybe limited to verbal communication.
During this especially busy time of the year, I want to try to communicate my gratitude as often as possible.  It will be interesting to see how it works in each situation,  but I am convinced that conveying gratitude and appreciation in am audible and visible way will make others feel as warm and fuzzy as it makes me feel.
Maybe I should thank the delivery man who just woke up my napping child first...
It is 12:30 in the afternoon. 

Trip to the store.

So there is a great sale on footie pj's at Carter's, and J has been asking for "gajama's that cover his whole body," so we went shopping. Well if that's what you  want to call it...I think it looked more like frantic grabbing and pig wrangling all at the same time. Neither boy wanted to walk, yet neither wanted to sit at the Lego table either. Neither boy wanted to shop for clothes, but both wanted million dollar toy sets, you know as a reward for being super naughty. Thank God I work out, because I had to pick up both boys, about 80lbs total of dead, screaming, sweaty weight, one in each arm, with my bag and purse and walk out of the store, to the car and hope I didn't drop one, where anyone could see. I get in the car, tell them both they are out of line and needed some wooden spoon time. I am not sure why epic little boy melt down still surprises me so much?! 

We get in the car, and the melt down continues. And I am a hot sweaty mess. All I want to do is go home, duck tape my kids to their beds and have nap time. So what happens next? I swear, just as soon as the car starts moving they quiet down. Why is the car so soothing?! I swear these boys looked like toddler zombies in their seats! 

Anyway, we grabbed some lunch and were on our way. 2 things: thank GOD for carseat restraints and seriously, check out Carter's, deals so good...it made the insanity worth it!

It's 2:56pm

too BLESSED to stress!

Ok that is one of the hokier christianese sayings that I have heard in my life, and I understand it, but today, I felt it. I had court today, for child support for my oldest child. I never in a million years thought the amount would be reduced, but it is. As I sat there, all I could feel was pity and pride. 

Pity for the other party, being called "low income," and being told that perhaps their goals are not realistic. 

Pride, for the blessings The Lord has gifted to myself and my family. 

At that moment I truly understood the concept. I am blessed. The Lord has always taken care of me, and He will continue too. My husband is an amazing provider that takes excellent care of his family. Period. I am lucky, regardless if what the other party can scrounge up, because I don't need it. I am not tooting my own horn, I understand hardship, but to be at this place, with this situation is a big step for me. I feel good. I am happy and truly...too blessed to stress!